Exploring the Current Landscape of Artificial Intelligence Adoption in Kenyan Academic Libraries

Abstract

Major development in academic libraries has seen their recognition of artificial intelligence (AI) and the need to support AI to advance knowledge and science. Artificial intelligence services in academic libraries include expert systems for reference services, automated cataloguing, predictive analytics for information management, text mining for research support and personalized recommendation. The study was informed by the maturity model that necessitated a scan on selected Kenyan academic libraries to ascertain if there was any adoption of AI and to what extent. The study employed a mixed-methods research design, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches to comprehensively explore the current landscape of AI adoption in Kenyan academic libraries. Purposive sampling technique was used to select a representative sample of academic libraries. The primary goal of the study was to discover how academic libraries in developing countries are responding to an AI dominated environment. The study findings reveal a growing interest in AI adoption among Kenyan academic libraries, with notable applications including information retrieval, data management, user services, and decision support systems. However, challenges such as limited infrastructure, resource constraints, and staff capacity hinder the full realization of AI's potential in library settings. Additionally, ethical and privacy concerns surrounding AI technologies emerged as significant concern for library professionals.